London Bound: New Adult Romance (Chase Brothers) Read Free

pressed just enough to show him she meant business. The rush of euphoric triumph when the blade carved through skin was hard to ignore.
    With a wince, Evan stumbled backward and fell on his ass. “Abbie, calm the fuck down. Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lost my temper. We can talk this out.”
    “We won’t be talking anything out. You now have sixty seconds to get out.” She dug into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. “Or do I have to call the police? Imagine what that will do to a political career not yet started.”
    His face paled. “You know my family has enough money to make any charges go away.”
    “Maybe, asshole, but the media just loves a smear campaign. Just another example of rich kids behaving badly.” She knew she’d hit a nerve.
    “Listen to me, Abbie.”
    “Thirty seconds.” She forced her body into a wide stance, knife held with both hands and pointed in his direction.
    Eyes wide with panic, he pushed himself to his feet and headed for the front door with his back to the exit. “Okay. I’ll go, but we’re not done talking yet. I’ll call you later, and we’ll talk this out calmly, when you’ve had a moment to think about things.”
    “You won’t be calling me because we’re done. I will never lay eyes on you again. Ten seconds.”
    When he reached the front door, he turned and strode through, then slammed it shut behind him. Despite the auto locks, Abbie still ran and engaged the deadbolt. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, making her shaky, as she sank to the floor in the foyer.
    Jesus, had she just done that? Her body shook with adrenaline. She’d broken up with Evan. Hell, she’d all but threatened to kill him. Now what the hell was she supposed to do?
    She laid her head against the door and stared up at the engaged deadbolt. Even though her body shook, her logical thinking functions kicked in. “First things first.”
    She pulled out her phone and called a locksmith. The call after that was the most important she’d ever made in her life. She clenched and unclenched her fists as she listened to the double ringing, willing the line to be answered.
    “Hiya, this is Tamsin.”
    She tried to steady her voice, but it trembled nevertheless. “Tams? It’s Abbie. I need a place to stay.”

 
    Chapter 2
     
    London
    Three Days Later
     
    Alexi Chase thrashed as the darkness threatened to overtake him. “No. Please. We’ll be good. Please…Don’t hurt him.” Wet, cloying, cold wracked his body with shivers. Distantly, he saw a figure silhouetted by light, and he reached for it. Desperate for help and companionship, he twisted to try to reach it, but the silhouette remained forever out of range. When the darkness overtook, burning pain seared through his body.
    With a cough and a silent strangled cry, Lex bolted upright in bed, panting for air. Sweat clung to his skin, and his sheets were twisted around his legs. He freed himself and dragged his now-wetT-shirt over his head, then tossed it toward the hamper. It used to be months and months between nightmares, now it was days. Any first year psychology student could tell him it was stress. His birthday was coming up, and with it, the anniversary of the one night he never wanted to remember.
    But the impending sale of his small software company meant freedom. Not just financially, but from the oppressive disappointment of his family, especially his father. Though, what he wouldn’t give for a week of dreamless nights.
    Throwing off the sheets, he climbed out of bed and stalked to the dresser. As he dragged on a new T-shirt, he noticed the light coming from underneath the door. He padded into the living room to find the television still on and a lithe brunette huddled in the corner of his couch with a quilted throw slung around her shoulders. “Gemma, what are you still doing up?”
    She turned wide eyes toward him. “I got caught up watching horror movies, and then I couldn’t sleep.”
    “Yeah, well, that